Vappu is
all about the white student’s cap that was already mentioned in several posts
before. Now here comes some background information on this special hat and its
meaning and tradition.
Introduced
in the 1870s it was just given to those who earned the right to study at a
university though passing the entrance exam. It was worn by students during
their summer vacation which traditionally started at Vappu and lasted till the
end of September. Nowadays Finns get the cap after graduating from high school and
wear it every year on the two days of Vappu (April 30th and May 1st).
The golden cockade
at the front of the cap shows lyra of Apollo and represents the University of
Helsinki. It is sold with this symbol all over Finland. Universities in other
parts of the country recommend their students to replace the cockade with the
symbol of their university though.
Even the
size of the cockade has a meaning. The bigger ones with 22 mm diameter are worn
by the Swedish speaking, the smaller ones with 16 mm diameter by Finnish
speaking students.
Finns have
a very special connection to their caps. After receiving your cap you keep it
for the rest of your life. It’s never to be replaced and also never to be
washed. That also explains why some of them have a rather yellow then white color.
This might not just indicate how old the cap is but also how well it is treated
by its owner.
